COUNTY COUNCILS.

Otago Witness, Issue 1639, 21 April 1883, Page 22

COUNTY COUNCILS.

Tuapeka County Council* At the meeting of this body at Lawrence on' Friday, the following items were amongst the most important of the business transacted :— BEAUMONT AND ROXBUKGH BEIDGES. Mr V. Pyke, M.H.R., wrote as follows:—". I . am in communication with the Minister for Public Works relative to the ;Beauiuont and Roxburgh bridges, and I fond that works' on both are delayed by the incertitude existiug as to whether the Council insist on their own • designs or will adopt those of the Government • engineer. Will you kindly inform me on this point, as I am anxious to push these necessary' works on without further delay." . , „ Mr Herbert moved and Mr, Mervyn seconded — " That tenders be called' for the erection of the Roxburgh and Beaumont" bridges, and that the Government be informed" - that the Parliamentary vote of £6000 for the erection ol the said bridges cannot be expended within 12 months ; and that this Council has decided that above bridges be erected under the super vifaion of our own engineer. "—Carried. JIILLER'S FLAT BO.YD. , ' - ' Mr Mervyn moved, and Air Buchanan seconded — "That the clerk be instructed to^ write to Government calling their attention to\. the inadequacy of the voto of £3500 tor the construction of the road Buaumonb ,to Millers Flat, and requesting that an additional sum of £2000 be placed on the Estimates for the purpose." — Carried. CHINESE OAMP. The following report from Dr. Withers was read and received :—: — ' In accordance with your instructions that I should investigate tho aaniuary condi ion of the Chinese Camp, 1 h.*ve the hoci.ur to leport - Ist. I'hat the hou-es are in almost every instance - ba ily constructed, itl-veutiUted, and over-crowd«ii. , i tl :!tid. That thute i no drainage uysttitn whatever in ./ existence there. Xne Camp is intersect -d with. ditches, coi. tail. in;j black, BCtfnant, and foetid mud ami \v»ter. Kauh house ha» its i.w < piivate ditch in connection with the back pi ©raises, and witn the dingle txception o< Chu Que's, there appears to have been uo attempt made tj keep them clear. In close proximity to the Camp are several larjre pools oi . stagnant water, into which passes tho drainage of neigh .ouTing p.usti cs. , . • 3rd. Trie water it obtained from walls, sunk, in most m-itaiice*. within a few feet of a ditch, mudhole, or lesduool. Tiie water is not visibly impure, perei.Uuon t oni the surface liuag mffiuuic, in cunseqitnco of the wells being bunlt through a .thick layer ot clay. The Chinese, 1 am informed, .always boh their drinking w.uer, to wuiuh fact I attribute ia> a jrreat dt gree the immunity from fever winch they, have generally experienced here. , The outbreak of . diphtheria in Soe yue's fam.l.v is distinctly, traceable , to bad drainage, and to the children. having been m'_ the hab t of drinking the u»b jiiecl water frotu a well ' ihbtant only about four feet from a water hole such : as •' above de-cribed. " . -'• • •:i ' lam of opiumi n that the Chinese Camp, as it stand* at pr>enfc, can hardly be rendered healthy ,1 think',. lv advisable that the sections 014 the north aide. ol ,iho „ ra.un street ahoud not be sold as at present but*, voyed, the houses beinfr greatly overcrowded 'and tho 1 street much too narrow. I would surest that the householders 1,0 compelled to clean out, and fill with • ' dr.yea.ith, all drain?, duches, and waterho-es, and i' that the County constru- t a large pipe-drain, or open drain with concrete bottom, through /.he i.amp to the creek behind, which drain could be flushed by a tniail water-race diverted tronT tae creak farther up. ■' " •' I am not prepared w'th any suggestions as to the water supply, other than that the householders bo-advi-ed to procure tanks. , , , 1 oferring to the recent endemic outbreak of diphtheria, I am of opinion that it was purely due to local causes, which being 1 removed, would render ita return improbable. I know of no reason which should prevent the children resuming tht-ir attendance at school, except in the case of See Quo, who should be compelled to disinfect his house a .d clothing — I ■ have, &c, .Robert Withers. It was decided to forward the report to tho School Committee.